Healthcare Foundation of La Porte Announces New Board Leadership

La Porte, IN – Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) is a private, independent foundation, celebrating its 5th anniversary this March. Since its inception, HFL has awarded over $17 million in grants to fulfill its mission of empowering La Porte residents to live healthy and well and achieve its vision to be among the 10 healthiest communities in Indiana by 2030. HFL also built a 13,000 square foot new building in La Porte, which houses a Conference & Learning Center for the community and HFL’s offices.

Healthcare Foundation of La Porte is pleased to announce the organization’s 2021 officers:

Kathleen Lang, Senior Judge, State of Indiana -- Board Chair

Scott Siefker, President, Showmen Supplies -- Board Vice Chair

Michele Magnuson, Past President, La Porte Savings Bank -- Board Secretary

Rich Schmitt, CPA, Partner, Schmitt & Kaylor -- Board Treasurer

Lang has been a board member since HFL’s founding in 2016. She succeeds Jeff Bernel as the newly elected HFL Chair. Bernel will remain on the board.

HFL is also welcoming two new board members: Dale Parkison, CPA and Father Nate Edquist.

Dale Parkison, CPA, is a partner with Parkison & Hinton, Inc, here in La Porte, Indiana. Parkison received his B.S. in Accounting from Ball State University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Indiana CPA Society.

Father Nate Edquist serves as Associate Pastor for La Porte Catholic Churches. Edquist received his B.A. in Philosophy from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan and his Master of Divinity from University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois.

Maria Fruth, HFL President & CEO, commented, “We are so very thankful for the leadership, time, and expertise our board members lend to our foundation. A special thank you to Jeff Bernel for chairing the board of directors for our first five years. We welcome Father Nate Edquist and Dale Parkison and would like to extend appreciation and recognize the hard work and diligent efforts of our outgoing board members, Jane Nelson and Rory Bunce.”